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Post by spotti on Jul 9, 2008 19:07:42 GMT
Good? Easy? Worth doing?
I'm attempting to bring Faith back into work but at the moment I can't ride and since she can't be lunged yet (hock spavin and vet says no circles), we appear to have ground to a bit of a halt - hence wondering about long reining.
Main question: Can I get her working on them, as I would if riding, but obviously with me on the floor? I mean, will she respect them and can I improve her schooling etc with them or should I just wait until my back is better and start from scratch again?
Also, is it possible to use a pessoa with long reins or are they designed just for lunging?
I'm sorry if I sound stupid...I'm still new to all this! ;D
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Post by Blonde Donkey on Jul 9, 2008 19:10:27 GMT
i brought savs back into work with longlining as she wasn't safe to get on and it worked great
as long as your happy doing a bit of running then you can make her work
and you can do all the exercises you would do while you were riding here
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Post by rebanna on Jul 9, 2008 19:10:52 GMT
i wouldent use my pessoa to long rein, i long rein all the time i's fab u use it a lot before u back a horse u use them the same as if u were riding
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Post by brigadier on Jul 9, 2008 19:18:55 GMT
Hi Spotti
you must absolutely long rein- it would be fantastic for your horse with her history.
Its easy to do once youve got the fumbly bits out of the way. You would not need a pessoa with them as you naturally drive the horse from behind.
Put a simple bridle on her with no reins. also a saddle with the stirrups let down and tied to the girth, then attach your reins and thread through the irons and off you go! Do it in a field first in case of mishap but once you get a little more confident go for walks etc.
To walk on simply say 'forward' and lightly flap the reins against her sides- make sure you give with your hands to let her go forward, then walk at a comfortable distance behind. To turn left bring your left arm across your body towards your right hip and flap the right rein against her side (like an outside leg supporting the bend) and visa versa for the right turn (dont open and lead to turn as it doesnt work and confuses the horse!) To stop- say whoa and take a short 'kind' feel of the mouth then let go, then repeat as many times as necessary- dont do a steady pull, its on off on off etc.
Get someone to help you the first time but after that you will find it easy peasy and you will find she loves it- all horses do!
good luck
brig
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slinky
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Post by slinky on Jul 9, 2008 19:30:15 GMT
A fabulous ides for Faith.
Don't worry once you've got youself sorted out with all the "dangly bits" it will be much easier than you think.
Brig has explained it beautifully.
Have fun! ;D
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ceej
Administrator 
im back.... :)
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Post by ceej on Jul 9, 2008 23:03:10 GMT
Has your back failed you? You were riding..bummer
defo - go for it...it helps if you have lunged in the past as she would know your voice aides but if not its not the end of the world as she has been ridden so should understand what you want of her following brigs description..
Its nice and bonding too...and good for respect...she will be (hopefully) doing as you ask without you being on her which is pretty cool. Dont forget for safety (going mumsy here) to wear a hat, and high vis on the road (you will be even harder to see than if riding) and to walk sufficient distance behind to not get kicked/walked on if she walks backwards in a nap...
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Post by maximum on Jul 10, 2008 9:02:31 GMT
cant reccomend long reining highly enough. you can do anything you want on long reins so long as the horse understands and you are quick/fit enough to keep up! If you have trouble with the reins then you can tie up the long excess in a bit of twine so that theres not so much trailing about. its just practice and if you start off in an arena you can bimble away slowly getting the hang of it. If you find her a bit reluctant to go forwards then take a small side step so she can see you and it can help them , then move back behind her. treat the lunge lines as you would the reins, keep your hand soft and allowing and when you are turning left or right use an open hand to start so it is obvious to her what you are asking. www.tackinthebox.com/Products/Books/BK1059.htmmaybe you get this from your local libary but if you get to passage we want pics! |
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Post by Becca on Jul 10, 2008 9:18:47 GMT
love it on every horse except bernie, angel in the menage, better than lunging. step into the real world and SEEE-YA! Been dragged along on my belly twice (brain forgot to get hands to let go) saying that, his manners are much better now. hope that hasn't put you off, i think it would be great for faith! oh and don't forget pics of course  |
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Post by spotti on Jul 10, 2008 11:57:48 GMT
Right...*tootles off to ebay to buy some long-reins* Thanks guys! And Brig, here's a karma for just being brilliant! (I will get round to handing out the karmas to everyone else I owe them too...just as soon as I remember  ) I'll give it a go and I'll deffo get pics once we've learnt not to drag me or be stupid...oh, and once I've convinced my sis that taking pictures of us is a good idea! lol Ceej, yes my back has failed me! It's so stupid! I rode consistently for 8 days, improving amazingly each day, and on the 8th day we could go right into corners instead of cutting them, we could do rein-back for about 10 steps...when I asked! We could school without rearing/bucking/napping AND we even managed a little hack down the back path to the road and back! But, alas, it was obviously not meant to be as my back now hurts more than it did before (although didn't hurt at all when I was riding) and I'm stuck on the ground, unable to do much with Faith - who has, again, managed to hurt herself when out in the field so is stuck inside her stable (honestly, that mare of mine...if I didn't know better, I'd say she quite likes being injured and getting lots of attention! *tut*) So yeah, I'm stuck on the ground, Faith's stuck in her stable and we're both bored (again). I've been doing a bit of schooling with her from the ground, with the aid of carrots, but she loses interest after a few days, so I'm fast running out of ideas! Long-reining does sound good fun though, and it means we can go out 'hacking' instead of being stuck in a school etc all the time. I'm all excited now...hope I win those long-reins! |
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Post by spotti on Jul 10, 2008 12:03:26 GMT
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joandlad
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Post by joandlad on Jul 10, 2008 12:25:48 GMT
It might be a bit far for you but Becky Holden (from Enlightened Equitation) is doing a long lining clinic in Hitchen, Hertfordshire on 23 and 24th Aug. I went and spectated at the last one she did as I was looking for things I could do with Murph leading up to backing him. She was absolutely amazing! I've longlined quite a bit but have always just done pretty basic straight lines and circles. Becky believes that there is nothing that you do under saddle that you can't do on the end of lines. After seeing her I came home and taught Murph from the ground to move away from pressure from my hand on his side. When I backed him I couldn't believe how quickly he understood what my individual leg aids meant. Once he's old enough to do more lateral work I'll definitely be teaching him from ground first. Becky also got me hooked on clicker training but that's a whole diferent story.
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joandlad
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Post by joandlad on Jul 10, 2008 12:32:52 GMT
4 metres will probably be too short. They are usually about 8 metres. Might be OK if you've got a shetland! :-) Oh, and as I learnt from experience ALWAYS wear gloves when long lining. I was longlinging my old boy and he was walking round with his nose to the ground looking like he was about to fall asleep. I shook the lines and stamped my feet to get a bit more action and I must have woken him up! He went from 0-40mph in 0.1 seconds and I had lovely burns across my hands. I always wear gloves now, even when just leading in from the field.
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ceej
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Post by ceej on Jul 10, 2008 13:27:45 GMT
can you not use two lunge lines? at least til you get the hang of it?
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Post by Becca on Jul 10, 2008 13:48:44 GMT
just what i was going to say
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joandlad
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Post by joandlad on Jul 10, 2008 13:55:16 GMT
Just reaslied that you might have specifically wanted shorted reins for up close and personal stuff (like teaching specific movements). Looking at the e-bay ones they'd not really be suitable as you'd want to be able to hold them like reins and they look a bit thick. I usually use two lunge lines (it is recommended that you get them without loop handles on the end for safety but I leave mine trailing out behind me and have never had a problem with them). You may already know this handy hint but get two different colours. It's confusing enough when you start but at least you will know which is left and which is right! For the more intricate stuff I just usually use a full size set of reins.
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Post by spotti on Jul 10, 2008 17:47:13 GMT
You're all super! Thanks a lot! Jo, have a karma  |
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Post by brigadier on Jul 10, 2008 18:24:42 GMT
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Post by brigadier on Jul 10, 2008 18:25:54 GMT
PS He looks really scruffy here-what a difference a spring makes!
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fallible
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Post by fallible on Jul 10, 2008 18:46:18 GMT
I've been doing long reining for years. To start it was just with backing youngsters. Gives them so much confidence to do things for themselves ie river crossings and other scarey things. Then I used it as a fittener for myself and to get horses backinto work. It is a real bonding exercise and I find it really focuses me on every little way my horse moves. Gloves are a must but even then I have managed to break the odd finger(Iknow the whole lot of me is odd not just my fingers) I have always used lunge lines as i am comfortable handling them.
Make sure you really march on in walk and you will have to jog or run for trot.
Good luck and have fun
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Post by brigadier on Jul 10, 2008 19:58:59 GMT
It certainly is good exercise and almost as enjoyable as riding. I agree it is the perfect way to bond with your horse- they really respect and trust you whilst learning to think and go forward for themselves. I think a lot of people are too lazy to do it and a lot just lack the confidence to give it a go! I love to stop and chat to people as well. It teaches the horse to stand patiently and its suprising the gossip you get to know about. Gloves are really a must but I confess I sometimes dont bother- very wrong I know.
I love the way Basil cant wait to get going once the reins are on- its like he says- oh goody come on get a move on!
brig
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Post by spotti on Jul 14, 2008 19:04:33 GMT
Right, well we've been long-reining for 5 days now and I love it, Faith loves it and it really is fun!
She's got really good at it already and is just like Basil in that picture...raring to go but also really sensible once they're on, and because she has to be infront of me, she gets all brave and seems to go into a bit of a "shut up, I'm working" kind of mode and she's just so super!
My dad had a go at long-reining her on sunday (with my guidance) and Chloe (my sister) had a go today - bless her, she was terrified of Faith running off and dragging her so I had my hands over her hands and guided her round the school until she felt a bit more confident. Faith was a superstar and only played up a bit when she realised that my sister didn't know what she was doing and that she could get away with a sneaky bit of grass every time we stopped...strangely didn't do that with me though.
Agreed, gloves are a must, as is hat and good boots.
I started off trying using 2 lunge lines but got my hands all muddled up with 2 loops of line and the whip so have been using 1 lunge line that has been attached at both ends with me holding the middle - works much better now!
We've been schooling on them up until yesterday wheh we decided to go out for a mini 'hack' with them on, just to see how she'd be in the real world, and she was even better than in the school! She got her 'work head' on and acted like a pro that had been doing it for years!
I love my horsey! (and thanks guys for helping...I'm now teaching some others on the yard how to long rein and have also encouraged some that have done it before to start doing it again!)
Oh, AND its improved our riding, especially if ridden after a short long-reining session!
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Post by brigadier on Jul 14, 2008 19:23:11 GMT
Congratulations- its fab isnt it? good on you for having a go- another convert to the world of long reining!
brig
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Post by only1wu on Jul 14, 2008 22:19:02 GMT
Spotti... Just in case I have missed something.... What is amiss with thy back?? Love Wu  |
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Post by spotti on Jul 15, 2008 8:00:00 GMT
What's not wrong with my back! lol! Well I think I've twisted a few vertabrae (Faith's fault, but all is forgiven because I love her lots) and it hurts constantly, but some days more than others, hence only being able to ride sometimes. I've had an MRI scan on my spine so should find out soon enough what is actually wrong and then I can get on with getting better! Long-reining was initailly just a way of exercising her when I can't ride (since she can't and won't lunge) but now I love it and plan on doing it as much as riding! I love how you can get a feel of how they move and how you can have more influence on that movement when on the ground than when onboard. Also, she's so much nicer to ride after a short long-reining session that I think it will be a regular thing from now on |
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Post by bobalong on Jul 15, 2008 8:09:11 GMT
i use a driving saddle and driving reins for longreining, the rings on the saddle, stimulate the position of the riders hands more, and the driving reins are a good length, and also thinner than lunge reins, you dont end up with to much to hold.
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for so much hard work we thank ye!!
Always saddle your own horse
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